Gachapon machines have been around for a long time. There always seems to be a small cluster of them in department stores, train stations and other random places with decent foot traffic.
Nowadays, it seems like every major shotengai has a shop dedicated entirely to gachapon. Wait, that’s not entirely true. There’s probably three of them in every stretch, maybe even more.
That was definitely the case when we were walking down Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street (心斎橋筋商店街), one of the busiest in Osaka.
After walking past two of these stores, I became curious about their popularity and decided to see for myself what the fuss was about.
The next one was called #C-pla+, which sounded suspiciously like some sort of programming language. It looked especially crowded, with a steady stream of people going in and out.
Surprisingly, the majority of the customers weren’t actually school kids or teenagers, but young (and not so young) adults.
I sumimasen-ed my way inside and found myself in a sea of gachapon machines. Wall-to-wall and three storeys high, there must have been hundreds of them packed into that small space.
All of them were identical, except for colourful individualised posters showing the potential items that could be won.
Everyone walks away a winner. Though you won’t know in advance which of the possible trinkets you’ll end up with.
I suppose that’s where the fun lies — being assured of a prize, but having a small thrill at the unknown outcome.
To entice people to try their luck, brightly lit display cases were spaced out across the entire floor. Featuring samples of the toys that you could be bringing home.
The price of each attempt ranges from ¥300 to ¥500, with only ¥100 coins accepted.
No coins? No problem. Just find the nearest coin changing machine, which accepts Japanese paper currency all the way up to ¥10,000.
Besides the convenience of money exchange, the shop also provides free plastic carrier bags to carry your loot home.
For the environmentally conscious, there’s also a capsule disposal box that doubles up as a fortune teller. Simply toss your empty capsule into the designated hole, and hope that you end up with 大吉.
All the popular anime shows are represented, including the evergreen classics like Pokémon.
Fancy a pokéball that doubles up as a digital watch? It’s yours for only ¥400.
What about a Pikachu ornament you can hang on your bag? ¥300 gets you a one-in-four chance. The more you try, the better your luck!
One Piece is another fan favourite. Whether you’re supporting Kaido and his henchmen, or Luffy and his band of merry pirates, there’s something for you.
There’s even Luffy in his Gear Fifth “Joy Boy” form, with big bulging eyes and crazy white hair.
If you’re one of the 19 people in the world who are not fans of Pokémon or One Piece, there’s still plenty for you to choose from.
The entire cast from Sanrio is there, fronted by the ever-popular Hello Kitty. Crayon Shinchan and friends also make an appearance, as does Kirby and Winnie the Pooh.
While anime merch makes up more than 80% of the inventory, there are also useful household items to be found. Like these customised carrier bags designed specifically for negi. Kawaii ne.
Are you crazy about the food from Japanese chain stores like Saizeriya and Sukiya? Well, here’s a chance to buy their food replicas, and bring them home as souvenirs.
The Wife saw a machine dispensing cute SpongeBob tote bags, and remembered that one of her friends is a fan.
She reckoned that any one of the five designs and colours would be well received, and decided to take the plunge.
I dutifully fished out four ¥100 coins from my wallet and surrendered them. They were promptly fed into the coin slot, and after turning the big white knob clockwise, out popped a capsule.
It was literally as easy as 1-2-3.
We were clearly an anomaly, as that was the only one we got. All the other customers were excitedly dumping in their coins and retrieving their precious loot.
I was planning to get some Pokémon merch, but didn’t see any that interested me. Also, despite looking high and low, there didn’t seem to be anything from Spy x Family.
Anya would have been a welcome addition on our TV console, joining the several Totoros and Pikachus already camped out there.
Kansai Winter 2024
Relaxing day trip to Uji from Kyoto
Uji feels like the kind of place that’s best enjoyed on a slower pace, and that’s exactly what we did. Here are the places we visited during the six hours that we were there.
You can never have too much matcha in Uji
As they say in Japan: “When in Uji, drink matcha.” So we travelled to the mecca of matcha, to see if it was possible to overdose on the magical green powder.
The Wife walked into Ousu no Sato and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
A peaceful stroll in the Byōdō-in temple grounds
There are two main reasons why tourists travel to Uji. The first is for matcha, and the second is to see the temple stamped on all Japanese ¥10 coins.
Heartwarming matcha soba by the old folks of Torikiku
The broth had a clear citrusy note of sudachi that shone through, plus something else that we couldn’t quite identify. Whatever it was, it made the dashi taste extra special.
Katsukura: Sometimes, all you need is some deep-fried pork
Whenever we find ourselves in Japan, our number one pick for crispy and juicy tonkatsu is invariably Katsukura from Kyoto.
Kawaii temari sushi for breakfast at OMO5 Kyoto Gion
Apparently, its petite size and easy-to-bite form factor makes it the ideal choice for geishas who don’t want to smudge their makeup.
Waking up to the smell of freshly-baked bread
The next morning, as dawn approached and sunlight started peeking through the blinds, we were awoken by an enticing and unmistakable scent.
OMO5 Kyoto Gion is great, but not so good on the knees
It’s right in the heart of the historic geisha district and offers a good combination of price, location and size. But if you have bad knees, stay clear of the Double Zashiki Tatami Room.
Catching the Kyo-train Garaku from Osaka to Kyoto
There are many ways to travel between the two cities by train, but the most beautiful and elegant one must surely be the Kyo-train Garaku rapid limited express.
Nihonshu bingo at Yamanaka Sake Ekimaru in Umeda
We were only halfway through our Japan trip, and I had already managed to move my progress bar from 36% to 53%. Crossing the halfway mark felt like a significant milestone.
The complete Club Level experience at Ritz Carlton Osaka
When travelling to a foreign land, hotels are usually just places to spend the night. But sometimes, they can be destinations in their own right.
Ritz Carlton Osaka: Camping out at the Club Lounge for all our meals
I had booked one night in a club level room, which included access to the legendary club lounge. And for the next 24 hours, all our meals were sorted.
Fancy champagne high tea at Ritz Carlton Osaka
Checking into a hotel is typically a mundane affair, except when you book a room with Club Lounge access at the Ritz Carlton in Osaka.
Sushi Sakaba Sashisu was so good, we had to go twice
Whenever hippos get hungry, they sneak off to the nearest izakaya and scarf down some nigiri sushi, together with copious amounts of sake.
The oishii asagohan at Yawaragi in Shinsaibashi
At night, Yawaragi is your typical salaryman izakaya. But at the break of dawn, it transforms into an atypical breakfast spot, famous for tamago dashimaki prepared à la minute.
Supamakettos are tourist attractions too
If Forrest Gump had made a trip to Japan, he probably would have said: “Life is like a supamaketto. You never know what you’re gonna to get.”
Second time lucky scoring the popular Kani Doraku kaniman
Despite the supposed popularity of the buns, there didn’t seem to be a queue. As I got closer, I could see “本日完売” prominently displayed, highlighted in yellow for added effect.
Foraging for food at Kuromon Market, the kitchen of Osaka
Kuromon has gotten a bad rap in recent times, and has been labelled as an over-priced tourist trap. But if you steer clear of the expensive seafood, there are still many value-for-money gems to be found there.
Shabu shabu and sukiyaki for one at Shabuwara Namba
I can see why Shabuwara has such a high rating on Google Maps. It’s especially friendly for solo travelers, since each diner gets their own individual pot.
